Virginia Gov. Spanberger to Give Democratic SOTU Response

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic Party's official response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address next Tuesday, congressional Democratic leaders announced Thursday. The rebuttal, set to follow Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress, provides the opposition party with a prominent platform to outline its priorities amid the president's second term.

Spanberger, a former three-term U.S. representative from Virginia, assumed office as the state's 75th governor on January 17 after winning the November election by a double-digit margin. Her victory over Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears marked a significant shift, as she became the first woman to hold the position in Virginia's history, succeeding Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. Before entering politics, Spanberger worked as a U.S. Postal Inspection Service agent and later as a Central Intelligence Agency officer, building a career focused on national security and public service.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Spanberger's selection, describing her as a dedicated public servant who began her career protecting the country from adversaries. "She embodies the...